On D E A T H. 
5, 2 
Mifs y******** lived longer than many who fee their chil- 
drens children. We are told, by a very wife man, “ That ho- 
“ norable age is not that which ftandeth in length of time, 
u nor that is meafured by number of years ; but wifdom is 
“ the grey hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.’’ 
But we feldom think we have lived long enough with regard to 
duration of time. This does not arife fo much from the hopes 
of temporal happinefs, as the diftruft that there is none after 
death, or that we fhall not arrive at the fruition of it. From 
whatever caufe it proceeds, we Bill thruft the fatal hour from 
us. 
Seeing there is in our nature fo great a reluctance to die, we 
may plainly difcover the indulgent care of providence in that 
mixture of fear, hope, and expectation, which are blended to- 
gether, and which every thinking perfon feels, tho’ it is very 
hard to defcribe. Mr. pope fays, 
“ To each unthinking being heaven a friend, 
ic Gives not the ufelefs knowledge of its end : 
“ To man imparts it , but with fuch a view, 
u That whilft he dreads it, makes him hope it too . 
“ The hour conceal'd, and fo remote the fear, 
“ Death f ill draws nearer, never feeming near . 
“ Great fanding miracle that heaven ajfign d, 
11 Its only thinking thmg this turn of mind I ' 
Our misfortune is that we generally indulge this turn of 
mind a great deal too much : we neglect the medium, and 
convert that which is given us as a blessing, into a curse. 
2 If 
